Knitting Purgatory...

I heard a bird the other day. And not a nasty-ass crow, but a real sing-songy, spring must be right around the corner, honest to goodness little tweety bird. Or it might just have been Hank doing his high pitched whine, wanting to go outside. Either way, I prefer to believe it was a bird, and that the weather is getting nicer and spring is coming and that this long, dull, grey, desolate, windy, icy, rainy, cold, dark winter is coming to it's natural conclusion. So there.



This made me feel pretty springy the other day actually. A lovely bouquet from the constable for my birthday. It smells pretty springy too. I really should indulge in fresh flowers more often. They really brighten my day. Every time I pass by them, I just get a little boost. Must be the colour. I can't wait for the dafodils to be in bloom. They are my favourite I think. They used to grow wild where I lived when I was a kid and I just couldn't wait for them to bloom each spring. Then of course, I would pick them all. But anyway...

I'm working on a couple of projects at the moment, and that's really what they are starting to feel like...work. There's the mystery sweater for myself, which just feels like it's taking forever. It probably isn't, it's just that I had set a goal of being able to wear it on my birthday and since that didn't happen, I feel like it's taking a lot longer than it should. Then there is this monster project I've been working on since last spring and I just...want...to...be...done...with...it. It's coming, but slowly, since I'll pretty much knit anything else to avoid it. No pictures of either. I want them both to be surprises, even though by the time I am done with either of them, I will have built up quite an immunity to the reveal effect.

So instead, I'm going to post a recipe. I had taken a picture of this a few weeks ago and meant to post it then, but never got around to it. This is one of my favourite meals, and it's super quick, and as knit bloggers are known to post a recipe from time to time, I thought I'd follow suit.


Everything From a Can Chili

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1/2 onion, chopped or pureed* (explanation to follow)
1 lb lean or extra lean ground beef
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can pork n' beans with maple syrup (Heinz)
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can mushrooms, either sliced or pieces and stems
1 packet Clubhouse Chili seasoning (or the Hot n' Spicey Chili seasoning, up to you)

*I use a mini chopper and a blender in this recipe

Heat oil in your pot over med. heat, cook onions and garlic until softened. I puree my onions because while I love them, the constable hates the texture. He doesn't mind the flavour, so I put them in my mini chopper with a smidgen of water and make a nice, potent pulp out of it. If any little bit of crunch remains, he will refuse to eat it. In any case, do what you like with your onions!

Add ground beef, breaking up large chunks as it cooks. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. Cook fully and drain fat if you so choose.

Here's where the blender comes in. I think this all came about because my brother wouldn't eat kidney beans (this is my mom's recipe). I throw the kidney beans and the pork n' beans in the blender and blend, making a rather not-so-nice looking...paste. Add to beef in pot and stir to combine.

Add tomatoes and mushrooms to pot and stir, add packet of chili seasoning to pot and stir. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, on med. low heat, so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot!

Blending the beans might seem a bit strange, but it does make the chili nice and stick-to-your-ribs thick, which is great for cold winter nights. This recipe can be thrown together in a bit of a hurry too, which is great for nights where you need to be somewhere (ie. Knit Nite!)




Add some garlic bread with cheese and a Ceasar salad, and you've got yourself a meal! For two people, this recipe makes like, six servings, I swear. We usually never end up eating the full pot. I should really just freeze some of it. Anyway...

That's all I could muster for today. I'm off to work on some baby things for now. My sister in law needed some updated items for wee miss K, as she's growing like an adorable little weed! There are a couple of other people needing baby things at the moment too. They don't know that they need them, but I as a crafter feel that these things are essential. Because I get to craft them, that's why. Baby things make it feel more like spring too.

Until later...